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REHA.RKS OF VICE PRESIDENT HUBERT H. HUMPHREY AT THE ALFRE I:> C. SMITH "'1EMORii\L DINNER
Grand Ballroom Waldorf-Astoria Hotel Ne~v Y0rk, New York Wednesday, Octoher 16, 1968
Your Excellency, your Excellency, Archbishop Cooke, Mr. nresident, Governor Rockefeller and Mayor Lindsay and my friend, Mr. Nixon, and distinquished lacies and qentlemen, and Senator McCarthy, wherever you are. (Lauqhter and applause) Charlie, Your Excellency, for a while I thouaht that the suqg~stion that hac been made here toniaht that the ~resinent 0f the United States miqht serve as referee was somewhat within what I thought was fair play from my side of the fence. (Laughter) But, after havinq listenec to Richard Nixon, I am not so sure that I am qoing to trust the President toniqht. (Laughter) But, you have made me feel very qond, Dick, when you descrihed winner and loser. I have been readinq the nolls. (Laughter) Darned if you don't make it seem almost worthwhile. (Applause and laua hter) And I am ha-py that mv mother isn't here toniaht much as I would love to have her here,because my father once told me, mother was a sweetheart, wife, and he loved her dearly, and admonished his sons to respect their mother, but he said, Son, I have qot to confi,.::e in you. She> is politically unreliahle. (Laughter and applause) And I will tell you, Dick, if you keep talkinq like that, y0u are apt to get mother's vote. (Laughter and applause) I thought I had that one nailed down. (Lauqhter) My dear friend, Mr. Farley, Jim, a friend of my father anc1 frienrl of mine, this is a wonderful, wonc1erful eveninq. This is truly an ecumenical occasion, both spiritual and political, I miaht add. (Lauqhter) Sort of what they call those ecumenical political hapneninas. ~n~ we live in a w onderful country. My, it is c wonderful country. (Applause) You have already been told that there are three men here whn have- served in the office of Vice President. ~·Tell, Dick Nixon and I know that this is the kind of a country where any poor boy can grow up to be Vice President. (Applause) It is one of th0se chances you have to take. (Applause and lauqhter) And we have both taken it. Well, I am delighted also to be here at this qreat dinner that honors, you will pardon me, Dick, a great Democrat that is the only partisan reference I shall make for the moment -- (Laughter) -- but also a great churchman and I am also very pleased that my friend, Mr. Nixon, is on the same platform with me, almost within camera range. (Lauqhter) It is all in good fun. Don't worrv ahout it. We plan on talkino to each other af·Ler November. It just depends on where we are . .,· 2 living. (Applause) But I really thought better of my friend. I never knew that he aspired to live in public housinq. (Laughter) Whatever the -- what the television networks, the United States Congress and my telegrams couldn't accomplish, Archhishop Cooke has accomplished. (Applause) In fact, I am about to make a qreat political announcement. I Wish I had Ardhbishop Co0ke as my campaiqn manager (Lauqhter and applause) and my advance man, and my finance chairman. (Laughter and applause) Richard Nixon -- I am qoing to call him affectionately, Dick, if you will oermit me so, because we address each other as Dick and Hubert. You would be surprised, we really do talk to each other. (Laughter) He remembers that some eight years aqo when he \-Tas r.n this platform with another candidate for President, Jack Kennedy referre0 that night to some of the cifferences that were evicent in the audience that is coming to birth." You see, I helieve tha~ the nmerican dream is c0~inq tD birth and I say lustily and l0udly, lenq live America, the last hest hope of this earth. Thank you s0 much. (Applause) # # # 1 FOR RELEASE THUTISDAY A.M ' s October 17 Btift'iARKS VICE PRESIDENT HUBERT H. HUMPHREY AL S.t>UTH DINNER NEW YORK, NEH YORK OCTOBER 16, 1 968 Your Excellency Aichbishop Cooke , Governor Rockefeller, Mayor Lindsay, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, and Senator McCarthy wherever you are. v·le live in a wonderful country . Both Dick Nixon and I know that this is the kind of a country where any poor boy can grow up to be Vice President. It's just one of those chances you have to take . I am delighted to be here once again at this most distinguished dinner , and I am very g lad indeed that Mr. Nixon is here en the same platform -- almost within camera range of me. What the television network s , the United States Congress and my telegrams could not accomplish, Archbishop Cooke has accomplished and I congratulate him. In fact, I wish I had the Archbishop for my scheduler ... my advance man ... and my finance chairman. As Jack Kennedy said eight years ago at this same occasion, i t's a wonderful thing to bring people of different philosophies together so that they can discuss t h eir differences. I am lcoking forward to what Governor Rockefeller, Mayor Lindsay , and Dick Nixon have to say. His Excellency may even p e rform a real miracle tonight. He may be able to hold my own speech down to ten minutes. And Mr. Nixon is in a rare position : If he accepts my debate invitation he can shut humphrey up a t least for half the time. i.~o other man has ever done that. Vvell, maybe one other ma n * * * Page 2 Tonight we all make common cause. We are all here in the cause of charity. May I suggest that in a few tnoments ushers will pass among you for contributions . •. to the Democratic Party. In my present position, I take heart from Harry •rruman' s campaign of 1 948 -- I have to. Now I would not for a moment suggest that 1968 is 1948 all over again. And I would not want to raise any false hopes in your breasts. But every night when I go to bed I feel a little better because I know Harry Truman made it to the White House -- on his 0\·m. I also feel a little better because I remember another political year -- and if each and every one of you· here tonight does not share rny enthusiasm for 1948 f I am sure you share my ad.rairation of the Democratic candidate of 1928. 'rhe Democratic candidate of that year \varned tha-t prosperity was fragile, and that disarmament was essential. (cont 'd) . t Page 3 He spoke of building a stronger America, of strengthening our economy and our moral purpose. In his acceptance speech to the Democratic National Convention, Governor Al Smith surely spoke for men of good will of both parties when he said: "Government should be constructive ; not destructive, progressive, not reactionary. I am entirely unwilling to accept the old order of things as the best, unless and until I become convinced that it cannot be made better. " We know the old order of things can -- and does - change - - for the better. And when the Ku Klux Klan burned its crosses where he campaigned, he warned the nation it could lose its soul. And I remember another presidential campaign in 1960. John F. Kennecy, too, was a C a tholic. An d as the campaign began, it was said that his religion would hurt him. But to his everlasting credit , Richard Nixon, his opponent tha t year and mine now, declared that religion should no·t be an issue in an American political campaign. The fires of bigotry that burned fiercely in 1928 were dampe~ed in 1960. And there are those - - of the right and the left who are trying to fan the fires of bigotry again. In 1928 religion was the issue. Today it is race and we hear racial slurs against both black and white. I do not believe the extremists will succeed. . . F'age 4 I believe Ame rica is brave enough to reject appeals to fear - - compassionate enough to reject repression and wise enough to reject bigotry from the right or the left. I believe America is strong enough, and its people great enough , to drive out the spirit of suspicion and replace it with a new spirit of trust. Here is the esse nce of the question America faces this yea r : Shall our nation be divided by fear or united by truth? Shall we be able to trust each other? Can we create one n a tion, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all? Can we vote our hope s , not our hates? Can we see a new day where opportunity for every American is fact s not fiction? Can we judge a man not by his race or h is religion, but by merit and performance? I believe we can . I kno\'.r we mus t . The Al Smith foundation is dedicated to Al Smith's great work -·- to helping t h e poor, the disinherited, the disadvantaged " Our frie nd, Cardinal Spellman, whom we remember and revere tonight, understood that cause . He devoted his life to it. 'I'h is is the l~merican credo -~ ge nerosity and compassion , not f e ar and bigotry. This is the ffi nerican faith. This compassion, this faith , this credo this will light our \·Jay i n the difficult and dangerous time that lies ahead. rage 5 I take hea rt from O' Shaugh ne ssyr the Irish poet, who once s.ang : ·' For each age is a dream t h. at is dying, or one that is· coming to birth." I believe the Ame rican dream is coming to birth! .. THE ANNUAL ALFRED C. SHITH MEMORIAL FOUNDATION DINNER, GRAND BALL ROOM, WA.LDORF-F.STORIA HOTEL NEW YORK, NEW YORK Wednes~ay, October 16, 1968 REMARKS OF MR. RICHARD M. NIXON Mr. President, Mr. Vice President, Excellency ~rchhishop Cooke, Governor Rockefeller, Mayor Lindsay, Chairman Silver, all of the distinguished quests on the platform, all the distinauished members of this great audience, it is a very areat honor for me to leave the campaign trail and to return aqain t~ this dinner for the fourth time -- (Applause) -- and as I sit here tonight, ~Y thouahts qo, as I am sure vours do, to His Eminence and how neliqhted he woulc'l. have heen to have seen this dinner. (Applause) ne woudl have been delighted first to know that the man who was chosen as his success')r is one that \ve all kne\ And, Mr. President, I welcome this opportunity to say to you personal] h~ I have said on the political stump many times during this campaign. There are occasions when we in politics must he critical of each other's record hut there are other occasions when we do have the opportunity to speak about those issues that are above politics, and I say here what I think every American should hear about their Presinent curing this time. He is the hardest workinq President we have had in this country. (Applause) He is a President who is devoted to peace. He is a President who is deeply concerned about the lives and welfare of 500,000 fiqhtir men in Vietnam, including two 0f his m.;n sons-in-law. (Applause) And at this time when in Paris delicate nea0tiations may be going on which might hrinq some progress in brinqinqthis "Y7ar to a c0nclusi~n, I say aqain that all cf us sh0uld remember WP. have one President at a time. J... et none af us say anythinq that \vill under~ut his chance to brin~ that war to a conclusi0n. (Applause) Now, to my friend and former colleaque, Vice ~resident Humphrey, we all know that ~urina the next three weeks we will he engaging in the final throes of the campaian and v.1e will hav~ to judae the results of that on Novemher five. I do, however, want you to know that when you think of our differences, we have several things in comrn0n. We both come from rather humhle hack grounds. Regardless of what snme others may call us, he is the o~of a druqgist and I am the son of a qrocer. (Applause and lauqht~r) He is a former Senator and I 2.ITI a former Senator. He is Vice President and I was a Vice President. And just three weeks from today, either he or I will be receiving conqratulations as a winner of the election and the other will be receivina the condolences as a loser. I have been in hoth positions and \ YM--f ,_.. M, .,;zl,_ Yt.. •#JP.. ~J! Your Excellency Archbishop Cooke, Governor ~ ~.. iTS. ~\A-~.tc., Rockefeller, Mayor Lindsay"' distinguished ladies and ~ g:ntle:en) and Senator McCarthy- " wherever tyou are./{•• ~ l.,we live in a wonderful countryJ... · ( Nixon-- and- I know that this is the kind of a country where any eoor boy can grow up to be y~esident.(lt's just one of those chances you have to take.~. - L_1 am delighted to be here once again at this most distinguished dinner and I am 1 very~ that Mr. Nixon is · rrere on the sa me platform -- almost within camera range of me.o ( What the televi sian network;, the United States Co~gress ... and my telegrams cou,t accomplis~ Archbishop .. Cooke has accompli shed -- and- -I congratulate----- him.-·· ( / LIn tact, I wish I had the Archbishop to~ r . . . my advance man . . . and my finance chairman. " AAs Jack Kennedy said eight years ago at this same occasion it's a wonderful thing to bring people of different 1 ( philosophies together so that they can discuss their difference~ ~ i rward to what Governor Rockefeller, M~or Lindsay, and Dick Nixon have to say./• L Hi s Excellency ...~-ay,.,;.;;;;-;;;n;iiiip ...:";=-fo""'r ... ;''""a...,..re_.:._..l ... m... ~~r;-c""'l;--...... ·- tonight. He may be able to hold my own speech down to ten II? I~ minutes . - • And Mr. Nixon is in a rare position: If he accepts my debate invitation he can shut Humphrey up at least for half the time. No other man h~r done that./ ~ . Well~aybe one other man .. // A. -- ••• Lronight we all make common cause-~t~ ~ ~ ~ , L We are all here in the cause of charity~ay suggest that in a few moments ushers wi II pass among you - - --- a ... for contributions .... to the Democratic Party .• In my present position, I take heart from Harry Truman's campaign of 1948 -- I have to. { L_ Now I would no~ a moment suggest that 1968 is 1948 all over again. And ~ld not want to raise any uI hi But every night when I go to bed - eo'"'·- I feel a little better because I know Harry Truman made it to the White House -- on his own. - 4 - L1 also feel a little better because I remember another political year -- d; : 'I ~ tonight. not share my enthusiasm for 1948~ I am sure you share my admiration of the Democratic candidate of 1928.D ~~ ~·"'oil""..... L.. The Democratic candidate of that year warned ~~ that prosperity was tragi le ...... ,. that disarmament was essentia} ~~~ ( ( , He spoke of building a stronge r America, of strengthening b. ~ r · _olilu.r. e[lllll!co,._n..omy and our .. moral purpo~e· ...-=-/In his acceptance speech to the Dem ocratic National Conventio~" Governor AI Smith ~~ spoke for men of good will of both parties when he said: lfGovernment should be constructive, not destructiv' progre~ive, not reactionajl I am entirely unwilling to accept the.- old order- of things as the best, unless and until I become convinced that it cannot be made better. Jl ( .. kn: the old order of things~~~i'i -- ( -fo.,.~ ~nd when the Ku Klux Klan burned its crosses where he campaigned~ he warned the nation it could lose its soul. ~ £ And I remembe r another pr!sidential campaisn in 1960. 6hn F. Kennedy, too, was a Catholi~J... And as the campaign began it was said that his religion would hurt him •• 0 -· / / But to his everlasting credit, Richard Nixorr his /"opponent that year and mine no"} :eclared that r:ligion should . not be an issue in an American1J61Tfical campaign •• - - . /... The fires of bigotry that burned fiercely in 1928 were dampened in 1960. L here are those -- of the~ right and r-~-·left -- who are trying to of aiain• fan~ bi~:trya In 1928 religion was the issueol t hear racial slurs against both black artd white. • F aq LI do not believe the extremists will succeed,. L1 believe America is brave enough to reject appeals to .,....fear -- compassionate enough to reject repression -- and ..wise enough to reject bigotry from 'f \ \ ~ t(1 believe America is strong enou?.!J, and its people great ~ e!ough, to .the spirit ;pic~on and !!place it with"\4t. r - spirit of trust. .. ~~:;;:& .w ~ U&- i Here is the essen~ question America faces this year: LShall our nation be divided by fear ~ited by~· /.Shall we be able to trust each otheri- Can we create one nation under God indivisible, with L, 1 1 liberty and justice for a11f L Can we vote our hopes, not our hates? 3 ..... <. 'an we see a new day where opportunity for every know we must. The AI Smith foundation is dedicated to 1Ad)(4Ir(s great work -- to helping the po~r~ the disinherited, the a . ·- - a .l.akf'A ';~ d~ad~~n!ag:dL Ou~ friend, Cardinal sgellman, whom we remember and revere toni~ht, t11'lCJerstood that cause.l He devoted his life to it} W.t e... 1.. ~ /i.•d, LThis is the American credo -- generosity and a - compassion) not fear and bigotry• .,. is the American faith. ~ ( ~~his -- this will L-rn is ::;mpass\Q.nj lhis f~it~ this credo1 light our way in the difficult and dangerous time that lies ahead• __... . L I take heart from 0' Shaughnessy, the Irish poet, who once sang: ''For each age is a dream that is dyi' or one that is coming to birth." \ believe the American dream is coming to birth! J / --~~-~,_.,.,.,_ ~~,., ~ ~~hu>! Di:!. i•1 FO. HHri DC A.! E OJ rlEADY 0 rlECE I VE AL Sfv1 I 1 H i Ar- E ? OK • EL1AltK !::> VI CE P~ES I DE H~BEn l H . Hlli~HnEY AL !::>t"l I Trl D L i'JE . • ~E\ iOrlK , NE~ YOrlK ~EDNE~DAt , C OBErl 16 , 1968 YOUR EXCELLENCY AR CHE I SHO~ COOKE , GOVERNOR i-i.OCKEFELLE..'1., tvJAYOrt LI ND.::>Af , DI S l L"GUI SrlED L AD I .t!..::5 AND GENTLEr1E. i , AND §§f\I@ I QB \".CCArtTH" I AM DEL I Grl ED 0 tiE H~nE ONCE AGAI . A TH I ~ ~OS DI S I NGUI SHED DHJt>JErt, Ai D I AJ.. vE. GLAD L \JDEED HAT ,.n.;. . NI AON I S HERE 0~\J "tiE SAi>lli t>LA ORM -- AL MOST 1•: I TH I N CAt•lERA R ·IJGE OF ivlE · \> ELcGrtAtvi.S COuLD NOT ACC0!'>'1PL I SH , ArtCHB I SHOP COOKE HAS ACC01 1PL I SHED L'-J l-AC 1 , I ';. SE ,I Ot.J.SL , A YOU ALL .r\•\iOw , rlE ARCHDI OCESE OF l\JE\•J YO ~K DOES ~EA AND GOOD ~O~K.S . 0 COUnSE , THE ArtCHDI CESE OF ~ASH I NGTON DES TH I ::i i\L SO . HO:,Evl::.R, PR£Sb LY HEY A •.t!. ENGAGED I t\l A 'Wf AJ PfROlo;;' S EAKING ABOuT DE A E!::> , C ~AUSE ) I T OCCURRED TO t1E JUST 1rlE 0 HErl DAf C1-'AU~E ) . 'HA ,:;y 0 ONE:\JT I S MI SSING A GREAT O.PPORTUNI TY TOO LOr G. t:SU. 1rtE ~U' H OF 'lME l':A ·tt.H I ~ , I ' VE HAD TO SPEAK 'OR 'lrlE BO ' i OF U~ . l rt • '-li 0.\l I~ I A rtA .E !:.>OSI'II01\i : IF HE ACCEPTS .If DEBA'! c ll'.J I 1A'l I ON rl.r: CA.· HU ~ HUI J?HB.EY U A LEAST F R H~.L THE TL1E. l ·o 0 .rlEK JA \i HAS EVE.. DO.'IlE T rtA 1 • v;r.LL , t· A fBE 01\i E. 0 I rll:. .. r· AN • • • - t:5Ui 1 .K1 OW ~A 1vi1t • r\JIX01\l AND I CAr•.iNO DEBATE HERE TOf"I GHT .. SO DEBATE tt.E THI!:> v SUl\lDAf Ot\i TV . AND I JUS GO'l ONE BA.CK . LET ' S SEE ~HA I SAYS . I BEAD~ ~ "CLEAR IT lviTH STROM . " TON I GHT viE ALL !"JAKE COM1'10N CAUSE . WE A E ALL hEHE I N THE CAUS~ OF CHARITY -- TO HEL P THE POOR AND U1 DE.rl.Pf IVILSG£D . IN A FE\•J MOMEN S USHERS vJI LL PASS AMONG YOU FOR CONTRIBUTIONS < AUSE l . . . 10 THE DE 10CRATI C PARTY . I rlEALIZE HIS I~ A N01 - POLl ICAL DI NNER -- ~f FELLOw vOTERS BU1 ;;,I •\iC~ YOUR DIS 11\JGUI SHED Pni NCI PAL SPEAKER TOt\l i GHT ENJOYS THE ~ A~ -DING 0. _en LEAST AN At"iA EuR POLl TI CI AN .. ErlHAPS YOU \.JILL FOHGI VE ME IF I TELL YOU A ?OLI1ICAL STOrlY . IT ' S ABOUT A DEMOCRA' IC CA~DIDATE BAT LI~G ~I H HIS BACK AGA I ~ST 1 rtE \-;ALL • .t-liCTURE FO A i"l0l'1ENT .. IF YOU \•JILL .. Trl'E DESPE.J-i.F E SITUATIOt\i OF 1HIS CANDIDATE . nE IS lt .CU1:BEN" -- El!BARHASSIIvGLY INCUivJBEr"T • ALL -·tiE PUBLIC O.PI •JI o:\J POLLS SAY HE IS SU E TO LOSE . THE I 1 ANCI AL C01\J'.t ril BUd ONS A.-tEN ' 1' CO~I NG IN . Ai\JD THE ODDS ARE LO:-JG AGAIL'S ti!M • .hiS 0\·JN ?ArlTf lS DEElJLY DIVIDED · ITS LEFT '\.viNG HAS GONE ITS Ov/N tvAY · A TrilrlD PARTY HAS ArtiSEN .. LE B'f A SOU HERN DElJi\GOGUE \.JHO IS .PLAl"'NG Ol\J .PEOPLE ' S FEARS A.D TRf i NG TO fHR0\'1 THE ELECT I ON I NTO 'HE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES • AND HI 1EPUBL I CAN OPPOi\iE:\!T IS RIDING A HIGH - PRICED REPUBLICAN S EA~.tF..OLLE.~ TO t•JHAT LOOKS LIKE C.E:RTAI -J I CTORY IN NOVEI I REFErl .. Or COUriSE .. TOHArL Y f UL1A.J . tljO", I vOtJLD NO'I F'On A tv.0.'1L'JT SUGGEST THAT 1968 IS 1948 ALL OVE AGAI1 • '3 BUT E ErtY .\H GH:T ··1.H~t-J I GO TO BED I DO SLEEi' A LITTLE BETTER KNO ·JING THAT HARRY TRUivlAN FADE I 0 HE bHI TE HOUSE -- 0.\i HIS 0 \-iN . I ALSO FEEL A LI 1 TLE BET ER BECAUSE I RE1'1EABER ANOTKEP. POLl I CAL YEN AND IF EACH AND EVERY 0.\TE OF YOU HERE TONI GI-lT DOES NOT SHAHE MY ENTHUSIASiv1 FO.-t 1948 .. I AM SU. E YOU SHArtE MY ADI1IrlA'fiO.J OF THEDEMOC.t-:.ATIC CANDIDA E 0 1925 · THE DEJY~OC?.A I C CANDIDATE OF THAT YEA~ 1:JA NED HAT PROSPERITY wAS FRAGILE .. HAT DI SArttct!AMt.;NT vlAS ESSEtHI AL .. AND HAT \•JE HUST I 1PHOVE 0 r. &:LATIONS ·1I TH LA I A lERI CA . HE S?OKE OF BUILDING A : 01'JGEn. AME I CA .. OF S ' HENGTHENI NG OUR ECONOMY AND OUR MORAL PU OSE • AND ~·JHE1\l HE nU KLUX KLANB URNE D I S C 0 ~ SE S ~VHE. E HE CAivlPAI G1 ED .. rlE "iA1NED THE NATION IT COULD LOSE ITS SOUL . AND IN HIS ACCEP ANCE .PEECH 0 HE DE 10CRA I C NATIONAL CONVENT I ON .. GOi.iERNOR AL SivJI TH SU .ELY S~OKE FOR ~-1EN OF GOOD vJI LL OF BOTH PARTIES vHEr· HE SAID: "GOVERNMENT SHOT.JL.D BE CONSTRUCTIVE, tlOT DESTRUCTIVE .. ·n.oGHESSIVE .. NO REACTIONARY . I AM ENTIRELY U HI LLI 1-G TO ACCEPT HE OLD OrlDE OF THINGS AS THE BEST, m LESS AND U..\JTIL I BECO!Vl£ CONVINCED HA IT CA:JNOT BE M DJ::: BE En · " viE KNO •J THE OLD ORDER OF THINGS CAN -- AND DOES - CHA.\lGE -- - oR HE BET E • FOR \-!E D·tEi'iBER ANO H.t£R P ESIDEN IAL CA11PAIGN IN 1960 · AL'•D i.v"E RENEMBER HA JOn~.J F . KENT£ DY TOO "!..JAS A CATHOLIC ~ r li 6 j I 1 AND AS THE CAHPAIGl\1 BEGAN I ' hA::, ;:,AID THAT HIS RELIGION • WOT...1LD HUR Hitvi . BU TO HIS EVERLASTING CREuiT ~ ICHA D NIXON, HIS OPPO\lEi\l THA YEAR AD MINE NO\., ~ DECLARED HAT RELIGION SHOULD NOT BE AI\! ISSUE INAN A1EHICA! POLITICAL CA!YiPAIGN . A:'JD \ HE FIRES OF BIGOT Y TWH BU .NED FIERCLY IN 1928 HERE E~TINGQISHED IN 1960 . BUT ODAY THERE ARE THOSE -- - OF THE RIGHT fu\JD THE LEFT -- vJHO ARE T .Yi t'JG TO FAt TrlE FIRES OF BIGOTRY AGAIN . IN 1928 nELIGION \VAS THE ISSUE . TODAY I IS RACE -- Al'JD \oiE nEAR l ACIAL SLURS AGAI L ST BOTH BLCK AND HHI TE . I DO • OT BELl EVE THEEX ~El"li STS \-JILL SUCCCE.ED . I BELIEVE AIYJ.ERICA IS B-AVE E1'JOUGHTO REJECT APPEAl S TO FEAR COlV'!PASSIO,-A E El OUGH 10 rtEJEC1 RE.?EESSION -- AND HI I E ENOUGH TO I GNO .E 3I GO ·ny F r 011 . Hi: RI GH Oh rlE LEFT . THE AL SMITH FOUNDATION ISDEDICAT£D TO AL SNITH ' S GREAT t'IO?.K -- TO - l!.LPI NG THE ?00 . , THE DI SI l\JHERI TED ~ THE DI .JADVANTAGED . Ourt FRIEND ~ CARD I r AL SPELU1A.N ~ vlH.Od \•JE RE:i•iEriBErl AND ~iEVEHE O,\li GHT , UNDERSTOOD THAT CAUSE . HE DEVOTED rliS LIFE TO IT · HIS IS HEAV.£f ICAN CREDO -- GENEROSITY AND C0l'1PASSIO.- ~ NOT FEA.n .AND BIGO .d. • rliS IS "H At'1EdiC.AJ.\l ?AITH · THIS CO MPASS ION, THIS FAI .. , THIS CREDO -- !.>tiS \•TILL LIG'rlT OuR \•JAY I t'J THE D IFFICUl~ T AND DANGEROUS YEAnS AHEAD . 3 # fj HHH ADV STL DB'1 FOR HHH DC ATTE~TION: TED VA~ DYK FROL1: JOHN G· STE\v.ART C'ViHO IS PERSONALLY SAXX SLAVING TO SEND TI-il S TO YOU) SO BEAR "\>;I TH ME , I ' LL MAKE A FE\>; t'lUSTAKES. SPEECH OF SE.I\JATOR JOHN F . KENNEDY AL SMITH YOUREMI I ENCE, CARDINAL SPELLMAN, ETC •• • • • LAD! ES ND GENTLEMEN, FELLOw VOTEfiS CHA HA> I .AM GLAD TO BE HERE AT THI SNOTABLE DINNER ONCE AGIN A\l"D I Ar C.II..RDIN.AL SPELL~A""JI S THE ONLY 11A..l\l SO WIDELY RESPECTED INA"'lERI CA~ POLITICS THAT HE COULD BRING TOGETHER , .AMICABLY, AT 1HE Sfi.ME BANQUET TABLE, FOR THE FIRSTTIME TXX IN 1HI S C.Ai"..PAI G.I\J , TWO POLITICAL LEADERSWHO ARE I NCREASINGLY APFREH~~SIE ABOUT EACXXX THE NOVEMBER ELECTION ••• WHO HAVE EYED EACH OTHER SUSPICIOUSLY AND \11'HOHAVE SO STRONGLY DISAGREED B01H PUBL ICLY AND PRIVATELY VICE PRES! DENT NIXON AND GO V RO CKFELLER < HA HA9 MR · NIXON, LIKE THERET OF US, HAS HAD HIS TROUBLES IN THIS CA'V!PAIQ\J . AT ONE POINT EVEN TIIE \•;fiLL STREET JOU FJ.~P.L Y1AS CRITICIZING HIS TCTICS· THAT I S LIKE THE OBSERVATORE ROMANO CRITICIZING '!HE POPE. CHA HA> BUT I THINK THE \\ORST ~E\•1S FOR TilE REFUEL I CANS THIS \.JEEK 1oJAS THAT CASEY STENGEL HAS BEEN FIRED. ON 1HIS MATTER OF EXPERIENCE, I HAD P;.\JNOlJNCED EARLIER THIS YEAR IF . UCCESSFUL I t.;o ULD NOT CONSIDER Cfll'1PAI Q.\1 CON TFI BUTI ON S AS A SUBSTI TUE FOR EXPERIENCE IN .APPOINTING AL•lABASSADORS· EVER SINCE I l"'lADE THAT STTTEMS\l"T I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ONE SINGLE.. CENT FROM t>1 Y FATHER · CH.A HA HA & CLAPX> ONE OF THE INSPIRING NOTES THAT wAS STRUCK IN 1HE LAST DEBATE WAS STRUCK BY THE VICE PRESIDENT HI XXX IN HIS VERY MOVING WAR.NING TO THE CHILDREN OF lliE NATION AND THE CANDIDATES AGAIN..,.T 1HE USE OF PROFANITY B'f PRESIDENTS AND EX - PRESI DENTS WHEN THEY ARE ON THESTU1F . A~ AND I KNOv/ AFTEF. 14 YEARS IN THE CONGRESS \\I TH THE VP THAT HE \~AS VERY SINCERE IN HIS viEwS ABOUT THE SUE 0 F PF.O FAN I 1Y . BUT I A.M TOLD THAT A PROM INENT REPUBL I CAN SAl D TO HIM ESTERDAY IN JACKSONVILL, FLA. , "MR . PRE8I DENT, THAT wAS A D.Ai'1N FI NE SPEECH. n TO BE CONTINUED IN A f10l>JENT . DEM FOR HHH DC CONTINUATION OF SPEECH OF SENATOR JOHN F. KENNEDY HE SPOKE OF THE COLn."\JTRY ' 5 UNPARALLELED PRO GRESS. HE STRESSED AMERI CA.N COMFO RT, HOPE, AND CONFIDENCE FDR THE Ft.:TllRE P.RE IMMEASURABLY HIGHER 1HP1>J THEY to;ERE 7 l/2 YEARS AGO . THE DEMOCRATIC CPNDIDATE I N 1928 QUESTIONED HO\ol STABLE OUR PROC:::PERITY WAS · HE POINTED TO THE FOCKETS OF INDUSTRIES. \'IE vJARNED OF A FARM DEPRESSION . HE CRITICIZED AD.'1INISTRATION FARM VETOES. HE STRESSED, .AND I QUOTE HIM, " THE NECESSITY FOR THE RESTORATION OF CORDIAL RELATIONS 'Yll 1H LATIN AMERICA" AND HE CALLED FOR MORE EFFECTIVE ACTION AGAIN!:>T DISARMAMENT• THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE I N 1928 SPOKE 30 YEARS AGO TONIGHT ABOUT BUIOXXX BUILDDJG A STRONGER .AMERICA.. STRENGTHENING NOT ONLY OUR ECONOMY BU T OUR SENSE OF t"lORPl. PURPOSE AND OUR PUBL IC DUTY . IN ALL OF THESE .AND OTHER \o7AYS, 1960 AND 1928 MAY BE SISTERS lNDER THE SKIN . SOME SAY THAT TH.I S \oJILL ALSO BE TRUE \'IHEN THE BALLOTS ARE COUNTED, THAT THE RELIGIOUS CONVICTIONS OF THE CANDIDAT SWILL INFLUENCE THE 0 UTCOME t10RE THAN TrlEIR CO VI CTIOt\IS ON 1E~ ISSUES· BUT THIS IS wHERE I BELIEVE THAT 1928 ~ D 1960 ARE VERY DIFFERENT. REGARDLESS OF lliE OUTCOME.. Al\JD REGARDLESS OF THESE SIMILARITES, I DO NOT BELIEvE THE ~"lERICk\J VOTER IN lOXXX 1960 IS THE SA'1E AS THE k"1E.R ICAi'J VOTER OF 1928 , FO R UJE LIVE IN A DIFFERENT vJORLD . THERE ARE A BILL ION MORE PEOPLE CRO\•!DING OUR GLOBE, P.ND EVERY AMERICAN CAN HEAR THE RLMBL ING OF A DI STAIIJT DRUM . TrlE NEXT PRESIDENT WILL HAVE A BUDGET 25 TI MES AS LARGE AS TrlAT OF THE " CA."JDIDATES IN AL SMITrl ' S TIME, .AND HE vJILL FACE PROBLE1:1S U'JPRECEDENTED IN THAT TI ME OR IN Ai.~Y TIME IN OUR LONG HISTORY, AUTOMATION AND UNEMPLOYMENT, FA.ru·1 SURPLUSES A.'JD FOOD SHORTAGES, A HIGH COST OF LIVING IN THE MIDST 0 F A\J ECONOMIC SLUMP, NEW NATIONS, NElV LEADERS, THE WORLD IS DIFFERENT .ACROSS THE STREET At'JD ON 11-iE OTHER SIDE OF THE t>i OON . THE V.H ITE RACE IS IN THE MINOR ITY, THE FREE- ENTERPRISE SYSTEM IS IN THE MINORITY, ADXXX AND THE MAJOR! TY ARE LOOK ING AT US HARDER AND LONGER THP.N THEY EVER LOOKED BEFORE. THE PEOPLE vJ-fO LIVE IN TrlE TEMXXX TENE.l'1ENTS 0 F AFRICA AND ASIA P1lD LATIN AIV!ER ICA \\1ANT TO FIG-IT THEIR WAY OUT OF THE SLuMS · THE LO 'f..oJER EAST SIDE OF TrlE \~OFLD IS LOOKING FOR HELP, A.'JD U\JLIKE 1928 THE LO\·JER EAST SIDE OF THE WORLD HAS A VOICE AIIJD A VOTE. #"TI!E VJORLD IS LARGE, " JOHN BOYLE 0 ' REILLY tVROTE, ''THE ivORLD IS LARGE vJHEN ITS WEARY LEAGUE TwO LOVING HEARTS DIVIDE, BUT THE viORLD IS .... MALL tvHEN YOUR ENEi>1Y IS LOO SE ON TrlE OTHER SIDE. " IN 1960, AS NEVER BEFORE, OUR ENE11Y IS LOOSE ON TnE OTHER S I DE· IN 1928 , THE VOTERS PERHAPS COULD BE EXCUSED FOR NOT SEEING TI-IE STORM COMING, THE DEPRESSION, THE JAPA"JESE CONQUEST OR MP.NCHURIA, H ITLER ' S R ISE, AND ALL 1HE REST· BUT IN 1960, THE CITIZENS OF THIS COUvTRY FACE THE GREAT QUESTION OF wHETHER FREEDOM \~ ILL NOT ONLY ENDURE, BUT V.HETHER IT vilLL ALSO PREVAIL . THUS, 1960 A\JD 1928 ARE VERY DIFFE ENT. IT VJ ILL BE \ iiJHEN T'diS HAPPENS 1HE.IIJ THE BITTER MEMORY OF 1928 wiLL BEGIN TO FADE, AND ALL THAT \.JILL REMAIN wiLL BE 1HE FIGURE OF P.L SMITH, LARGE AGAINST THE HORIZON, TRUE, COURAGEOUS, P.ND HONEST, wHO IN THE v:ORDS OF THE CARDINPL, SERVED HIS COUNTRY vJELL , AND HAVING SERVED HIS COL'NTRY WELL , NOBLY SERVED HIS GOD. END NOTE••• POS IBLE ADDITIN TO HHH TEXT. J R. NIXON HAS SAID ITS ONE THING TO GIVE ' El\1 HELL A'JD ITS A\iOTHER THING TO GIVE ' EM HUVIPHREY . \!JELL , I ' VE ALwAYS SAID TrlERE ' S CONSIDERABLE DIFFERENCE BETvJEEN THE REPUBLI CA'J AND DE110CRTI C PART! ES . THIS COu"LD GO IN TRUIJP.N SECTION OF SPEECH. GOOD i•10RNING..... LUTSXXX 0 LOUTS. WHAT THE HELL HAPPB"'J ED 10 THE DETRO 1 T SPEECH. SENIOR CITIZENS ORGY HOLD ON · •. viE HAVE MORE ••• ANOTHER GFM FOR THE SPEECH. So1XXXX AMERICP.N ENGINEERING Al'IJD TECHNOLOGY HAS NOW SCORED ONE OF ITS MOST I MPRESS! VE TRI U'1FHS. • • • THREE MEN IN ORB! T AROUND THE :EARTH · NOliJ ITS JUST A Sl.\1f!I.LL STEP FROM TIH S ACHIEVEMENT TO GETTING THREE CA'JDI DATES FOR THE PRES! DENCY ON TELEVISION . AFTER THIS INCREDIBLE OUTPOURING OF \v iT AND HWIOR. • • NOT TO MENTION SILENT, I NTERNfol, VITRIOL, GRRRRR, wE BID YOU PLL GOOD MORNING· JGS . SBD • REH · • • • YOU SEE, I \IJ.AS NOT PILON E . Of course I ' m honored and delighted to appear at this traditional Al Srr ith dinner. But at the outse t I ' ve encountered a severe handicap. Your chairman has told me to limit my renarks to ten rninutes . Imagine giving Hubert Humphrey ten minutes to rr.ake a speech! Why that ' s like handing a pogo stick to an astronaut, and telling him minutes just to clear my thr·oat . Hov~ever, I Has \'Jilling to endure any hardship, accept any sacrifice, for the chance to meet Richard Nixon face to face . They say he •s being silent and elusive, but I was beginning to wonder whether he was still alive . Oh, I know this confrontation won ' t last long . This dinner will soon be over. And I ' m not saying that Richard Nixon is deliberately trying to avoid me . I do \'Jant to warn any women and children sitting betvJeen him and the nea rest exJt to stay well clear. Just the breeze may knock them over. It ' s too bad really tha t I1r . Nixon has been persuaded not to debate. I knovJ he 1 s a slugger by nature . But obviously filadison .Avenue has advised him that this tir.Je he must tiptoe through the tulips to the Hhite House . Well, he 1 s tried every other way . I suppose he may as well try tiptoe i ng through .the tulips . And I may be wrong -- and I know what the polls are saying -- but I still have a furmy little feelin£?; that Tiny D1ck i sn ' t eoing to 1.Ialce it . Of course if the pollsters t~ere right, the St. Louis Car·dinals '.·lould novJ be dividing up the Horld Series Eoncy . Fortur~t-ly, they paid off on the ball game . I ' m still in t1is ball garne . And in fact n~ inning starts now . And one .. . - 2 - 1 playing thing is sure -- I ve got the greatest back-up hitter and I mean with me that this colilltry has seen in many decades, my team. big Ed Muskie . Now there's a man I'm glad to have on some A man who I believe will make a great President himself 1 out a long natural day -~I mean of course after I ve lived ent ' s l ife! Now by contrast people are saying that my oppon a lot of running mate is rather undistinguished. Yes, you hear 1 rather that talk about r-tlr . Agne1,-J, and I for one think it s undistinguished unfair. I don 1 t see hm"i) you can call a candidate who has his when he 1 s the only man running for high public office own footprints on his tongue . 'vJell, all this kiddlng is in the Auerican spirit. 1tJe clean . fight hard for public office. Most of us try to fight third Perhaps you expect me to make a jest or tuo about the . I party candidate, Mr . Wallace. l'rn not going to do that I don ' t see nothing amusing about him or his candidacy . And of see anything American about it. It is a malignant growth voters fea r and hate. I am not afraid of that growth. The especially are going to cut it out once for all in November. But abhorrence at the Al Smith dinner, I must express my contempt and the spirit for this thing . You see Al Smith was defeated -- and -- by a of a very great public servant was thus forever broken campaign based on fear and hate . Ten presidential elections nothing have gone by since that can 1pa.ign l'lhich was bnsed on Catholic more than a nightmare fear of Protestant Americans for great Americans . And it was only t wo elections ago that a • - 3 - Catholic Affierican, John Kennedy, became on~ of our noblest Presidents , and laid that fear to rest for all t i~e . Would t hat Al Smith had lived to see t hat presidency. ' A great historian said of a great statesman: "If you ~ want to see his monumen t, look all around you." Al Smith lives l' on, not only in the memory of t hose who kne¥: and loved him, but in the whole liberal tradition which has shaped our nation ever since that fatal campaign . The t radition that is nm>~ the very heart of America , and that has made us the strongest and most resilient nation on earth . Our people have l earned many lessons i n these forty years , and that is \lhy the spirit of Al Smith, defeated and broken in 1928, will rise and triumph over the forces of blind fear and reaction in 1968. I have the historic privilege of l eading the party of Al Smith in this fight for everything that is good and decent and progressive in this land of ours , _ and with God ' s blessing I will win. Muskie: "To put it another way the decisive factor in this campaign is confidence and trust. Confidence and trust between people and government, and trust between citizens and their public officials .. That confidence- and trust can be achieved only if we are willing to accept all men and women as equals, only if we are willing to give all men and women an equal chance, and only if we work to make our government serve us. You and I know that federal, state and local government can be responsive and responsible instruments of the public will. You and I know that individuals and private business can work in partnership with government for the public good. Not all Americans have that view. . Some live in areas where the sheer weight of numbers makes government remote. Some have regarded government an enemy to their hopes and aspirations. Some have regarded it an obstacle to their efforts to exploit others. Confidence and trust among such citizens can be built only by leaders who believe in the capacity of the American people.il A fellow could get a persecution complex out of this campaign. 5 First• tidllltii!!!GIIIiii!C~III&IIWI•IIiJ••IIIii·1J--biitliij.iliiii Democrats ....seem to like to fight each other more than the Republicans• Then there are those polls that keep giving the Republican candidate reason for rejoicingl Then there are those columns that keep reminding us that there is a new Mr. Nixon" And thtW I Jseep rudipg how Mr. Nixon is so cool, calm, confident, 1 poised, and positive.• Now that s almost-- more than a fellow can take. Then, if you add onto that, that I must labor under the restraints of the Office of the Vice President with its awesome responsibilities and heavy burdens, and its ? unknown and undiscovered opportunities, you can see why it's difficult for the Democratic standard bearer of 1968 to be a happy warrior. pafr 6 I i!J I t6 £&&, b@Ld&se I[ I 3 eH~.uMtes i~,U the mgrs dull• ging;a I always thought that the Church did not involve itself in matters of politics. But, Your Excellency, how do you explain the presence of three distinguished Republicans -- Governor , Lindsay, and Richard Nixon-- Jlt~ · 1tbj 5 j § pvitbvr egpa 1 tjme nor ... I have been trying to get a debate going in this campaign and it's met, as you may know, with some reluctance. Dick Nixon says he doesn't want any three-man debate. I see no reason that he shouldn't take on Lindsay and Rockefeller. the winner. .. ~ u ...~ I am happy to see that Archbishop Cooke has been able to do Gt£;c!L....) somethin~ongress and the networks have been unable to do -- persuade my opponent to appear on the same platform with meo (_Everywhere across the world tides o~ change are moving. If we tried like King Canute to bid the restless tid a to stop moving, we would only fail. We have to learn to master change or change will master us. Pope John XXIII recognized that when he summoned the Vatican Council to freshen and quicken the spirit of the Church. John Kennedy r cognized that in 1960 when be summoned Americans to v~ture on a1 New Frontier. Francis Cardinal Spellaman r cognized that in his leadership of this archdiocese. fiv years ago wh n great numbers of Spanish-speaking Catholics began to move from the island of Puerto Rico to the island of Manhattan, Cardina~ Spellman did not ignore their coming or try to block the changes which they inevitably brought about. Instead, he instructed his young Seminarians to begin learning Spanish. He sent teachers and members of his staff to Pu rto Rico to study the life of the people ther • In these and other ways, Cardinal Spellman made the transition easier -- easier for an Archdioc se with old and settled ways, easier for the Puerto Ricar.P/ starting the great adventure of life here on the mainlando In bidding them welcome and in taking practical steps to make sur that they were in fact, welcome, Cardinal Spellman was following the Bible's command -- to make straight the way of th Lord. What Cardinal Spellman did in his time for his people, each of us must doJ'in our own time in our own sphere of responsi- bility~ All of you attending this great dinner in behalf of chaiity are making the road a little smoother, the harshness of change a little softer, the strain of transition a little easier. In a sense, that !.~;' this presidential campaign is all about a• it is an attempt to find the right answer to th question -" How can we master change in our turbulent citi s and in our troubled world? My answer is that Government, private charity, and the individual must all work togeth r. It is easy to say that voluntary agencies can do it all. But those of you who do charitable work know that churches and private organiza- tiona ...... do not have the financial resources to bear the whole 3-3-3 burden. It i~ equally easy to say that the individual should do everything for himself. Let him stand on his own two fe t, some argue. But root,hog, or die has never been a Christian principle. There are too many who cannot stand alone unaided -· those sick in body or spirit, the widow with small children to car for, the alcohol~c and the drug addict, the father who has lo~t his ~elf-confidence because he has been out of a job too long. All of thea n ed a helping hand. Government alone canmot do it all, but government has a critical role to play and so do private charitable agencies and so do self-reliant individuals building on their own strength. Gov rnment programs strengthen each of the other two partners. Government programs, for example, for children in low-income neighborhoods enabl the scpools, both public and parochial, to do a better job for their pupils. Federal hot-lunch programs, Federall)Mfinanced day care centers, and programs like Head Start • 4-4-4 -- these program~ create strength where only weakne~~ exist d. They do not cripple charity or undercut self-relianceo IR They open the door to hope. ~:cans need not f ar for themoelves or for their in~titutions as long as they recognize the of mov with them~ as long as they hav trust in tb'1L fll t· s8•qef•• epd ip themsplyps~e should not a b&lid ;J 0 • And we do not need revolution or violent upheaval. w_._n_•_e_d_i_n_s_t_a_d_a_s_p-ir_i_t_o_f..:r:e:n=w·a~l-,_a_q_u~i:c:k:e:n:in:.:g_o_f_... f=a=i=t=h=·r · .;.(., Minnesota Historical Society Copyright in this digital version belongs to the Minnesota Historical Society and its content may not be copied without the copyright holder's express written permis sion. Users may print, download, link to, or email content, however, for individual use. To req uest permission for commercial or ed uca tional use, please contact the Minnesota Hi stori cal Society. 1~ W'W'W. mnhs.org